Attachment for roller skates



June 2, 1942. E. J. WALL 2,285,373 7 ATTACHMENT FOR ROLLER SKATES Filed Feb. 13, 1941 Patented June 2,1942

i 1 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT ron ROLLER SKATES Eugene J. Wall, Mount Vernon, 111. Application February 13, 1941, Serial No. 378,795

5 Claims.

tion to provide an attachment of this kind to be employed in connection with the toe portion of a shoe and associated skate to facilitate quick starts and stops.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of thiskind which can be quickly applied or removed and which, when in applied position, is operatively engaged with the sole of the shoe and the skate.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved attachment for roller skates whereby certain important advantages are attained, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying dr aw-,

ing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vieW partly in vertical section and partly in section illustratin an attachment constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention in applied position,

the line of section being substantially on the line I-l of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a View partly in-section and partly in bottom plan of the assembly, as illustrated in Figure l, the line of section being substantial on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the attachment unapplied.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view inside elevation illustrating in detail the means herein embodied for locking the flexible holding member as herein comprised.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, S denotes the sole of a shoe through which is secured in a conventional manner the sole steel or plate P of a roller skate, one of the rivets I for the steel or plate Pbeing illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Carried by the toe portion of the plate P is a conventional truck T as comprised in roller skates.

A 'herein disclosed, my improved attachment comprises a plate 2 which has its forwardand side marginal portions defined by an upwardly This member 5 is of a length to be carried back and extend rearwardly across the truck T at a point closely adjacent to the steel or plate P and thread through a buttonhole slot 6 provided in the opposite end portion of the flange 3.

As is particularly illustrated inFigure 4, the

forward portion a of the slot 6 is of such size as to readily allow the member or chain 5 to be threaded therethrough but that the forward portion I) is so restricted as to so receive therein a link of the member or chain 5 to effectively retain the free end portion of the member or chain 5 in holding position. Underlying the plate 2 and closely and firmly held thereto bythe rivets I is a block 8 preferably of cream or white hard rubber. This block. 8 is of a shape closely conforming to that of the plate 2 but is of such dimensions as to extend forwardly of the plate 2 and beyond the flange 3 substantially from one end of the flange 3 to the other. This extension of the block 8 is, of course, to facilitate the desired contact of the block 8 with the surface so that the desired quick start or stop may be facilitated.

-'I'he rear portion 9 of the plate 2 is reduced from below in thickness and extending rearwardly from the central part of this reduced portion 2 are the elongated arms ll] of a length to under lie the steel or plate P when the attachment is in applied position. These arms ID are also of a length to engage between the outer head ll of the adjacent rivet I whereby the applied attachment is also efiectively held to the steel or plate P. This is of an advantage as by this arrangement of the arms ll], flexing of the shoe is resisted thus materially facilitating the efiicacy of the attachment in starting and stopping.

As herein disclosed, the attachment is further 7 held inapplied or working position by a shank I 2 carried by the sole S of the shoe and extending beyond the under face thereof. This shank I2 is of a length to be directed through an opening I4 disposed through the plate 2 in the block 8 and engaged with the outer end portion of the shank I2 and having clampin coaction from below with the block 8 is a holding nut l5. The use of this shank l2 and holding nut I5 is particularly desirable when the skate is used in the playing of hockey, or by rough skaters.

Theunder surface of the block 8 is provided with a pocket or recess l6 of such dimensions as to house the nut l5 and the adjacent end portion of the shank l2, although, of course, this is not essential.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an attachment for roller skates constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the sole of the shoe and extending through the plate and the block, and a holding member mounted on the shank and coacting with the block.

2. In combination with a shoe, a skate underlying the sole of the shoe and secured thereto and a truck carried by the toe end portion of the plate of the skate, a starting andstopping attachment comprising a plate underlying the toe portion of the sole of the shoe and having sliding coupling with said sole, and a flexible member connected with the rear portion of the plate of the attachment at the sides of the shoe sole and engaging the truck of the skate for holding the attachment in position.

3. In combination with a shoe, a skate underlying the sole of the shoe and secured thereto and a truck carried by the toe end portion of the plate of the skate, a starting and stopping attachment comprising a plate underlying the toe portion of the sole of the shoe and having sliding coupling with said sole, and means coacting ment and the truck of the skate for holding the attachment in position, said means for holding the attachment in place comprising a flexible member having one end portion secured to the plate of the attachment at one side thereof, and means at the opposite side of the plate of the attachment to permit the flexible member to be adjustably secured thereto.

4. A starting and stopping attachment for a roller skate and a shoe to which the skate is attached, comprising a plate designed to underlie the toe portion of the shoe, said plate having an upwardly turned flange extending around the periphera1 portion of the plate through a part of the extent of the same to receive the toe portion of the edge of the sole of said shoe, a friction lock secured to said plate and extending beyond the said flange at the forward marginal portion of the plate, said flange having two end portions each provided with an opening, one of said openings being in the form of a keyhole slot, and a flexible securing element having an end secured in said opening and adapted to pass at its other end through the keyhole slot to be secured therein, said element being designed to be passed around a portion of the skate to maintain said plate thereon.

5. In an attachment for a roller skate as set forth in claim 4, an arm forming an integral continuation of an edge of said plate and having its top surface below the plane of the top surface of the plate to receive an adjacent portion of the skate and maintain the top surface of said portion on the plane of the top surface of the plate.

EUGENE J. WALL. 

